«This winter may be more difficult», Kim tells how Mykolaiv region will protect power facilities from shelling

Vitalii Kim, head of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration, and Liliya Pashynna, head of the Congress of Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine. Photo: NikVesti

The critical infrastructure of Mykolaiv region is planned to be secured by implementing «military tricks». The region also has stocks of equipment for quick recovery in case of damage.

This was stated by Vitalii Kim, head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, during a briefing after a meeting of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities on 7 October, according to NikVesti.

According to Vitalii Kim, Russian troops are able to penetrate air defences and strike at thermal power plants and other facilities. Therefore, according to the head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, the military has certain tricks to protect critical infrastructure.

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«We have certain military tricks that we have done to protect the infrastructure. Even this year, we have changed our approach. We have threats because the Russians are hitting the sources, they have weapons that penetrate our air defence system. The strike on the thermal power plant showed that they can penetrate our air defence», said Vitalii Kim.

The head of the military administration also noted that this year's winter may be more difficult, but the region has a stock of equipment to restore heat and electricity.

«As for the measures we are taking to protect our critical infrastructure, what I can say is that we have a reserve of transformers and equipment that is needed for quick recovery. As for civil defence, we have thought of and implemented everything we could think of. I believe that this winter may be more difficult», summed up the head of the RMA.

In addition, the head of the Mykolaiv RMA noted that the start of the heating season in Mykolaiv is to be postponed and the heating will be launched later. This is explained as a cost-saving measure.

Vitalii Kim also said that Mykolaiv would not be able to complete the project to build block-modular boiler houses, for which the government has allocated 1.1 billion hryvnias, before the start of the heating season.

In June, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine allocated 1.1 billion hryvnias to prepare Mykolaiv for the next heating season. The city plans to install new boiler houses to replace the damaged thermal power plant. This includes the purchase of 18 modular boiler houses with a total capacity of over 70 megawatts. According to the Prime Minister, this will ensure heat in the homes of the townspeople during the coming winter.

As of 4 September, it became known that «Mykolaivoblteploenergo» will receive 15 cogeneration units with a total capacity of 27.5 MW as part of a World Bank project. In total, the World Bank will provide $116 million to restore heating systems and maintain energy resilience in seven cities whose critical infrastructure has been damaged by Russian attacks.

As you know, on the night of 16 February this year, Russian troops attacked Mykolaiv with drones, damaging a critical infrastructure facility.

It was also reported that a modern cogeneration complex based on gas piston plants with a capacity of up to 80 MW is planned to be built at Mykolaiv CHP. The new equipment is expected to reduce heat costs.